Gitnux/Report 2026

Sand Industry Statistics

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Sand Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The sand industry at a glance

Sand remains a high-volume infrastructure commodity: global use is about 50 billion tonnes annually, while U.S. construction sand and gravel production reached 870 million tons in 2025.

50B tonnes[45]
Global annual use, 2026
$12.6B[17]
U.S. construction value, 2025
870M tons[17]
U.S. construction output, 2025
81%[17]
U.S. industrial frac-sand share, 2025
Market size
Global sand use is estimated at about 50 billion tonnes per year. In the United States, construction sand and gravel production was valued at $12.6 billion in 2025, while industrial sand and gravel sold or used was valued at $4.5 billion.[45][17]
Market share & regions
The 10 leading U.S. construction sand and gravel states accounted for about 54% of national output in 2025. For industrial sand and gravel, Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Louisiana together accounted for 77% of U.S. sales and use.[17]
Segmentation
U.S. construction sand and gravel demand in 2025 was allocated mainly to portland cement concrete aggregates at 42%, road base and coverings at 20%, construction fill at 12%, and asphaltic concrete and other bituminous mixtures at 9%. Industrial sand demand was led by hydraulic-fracturing, well-packing and cementing sand at 81%, followed by glassmaking sand at 7%.[17]
Key players & concentration
The U.S. construction segment is fragmented by operating footprint, with an estimated 3,400 companies running 6,500 pits and more than 200 sales or distribution yards in 2025. Industrial sand was produced by 131 companies from 207 operations, although the four leading states represented 77% of sales and use.[17]
Pricing
The average U.S. producer value for construction sand and gravel was $14.50 per metric ton in 2025, up from $13.90 in 2024. Industrial sand averaged $36 per metric ton in 2025, down from $40.90 in 2024 as frac-sand oversupply pressured prices.[17]
Trends, drivers & challenges
U.S. construction sand and gravel output fell from 880 million tons in 2024 to 870 million tons in 2025, while demand is supported by infrastructure, manufacturing, energy and data-center construction. Globally, UNEP says building-related sand demand could rise by up to 45% by 2060, increasing pressure on ecosystems, permitting and local supplies.[17][45]
Consumer behavior & competition
Demand is highly tied to construction activity and oil and gas drilling rather than discretionary consumer purchases. In industrial sand, 81% of U.S. tonnage served fracturing and well-completion uses in 2025, while longer wells and higher proppant intensity partly offset a 6% decline in the average active onshore rig count during the first 10 months of the year.[17]
M&A
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that multiple industrial sand producers were acquired by or merged with other companies in 2025, indicating continued consolidation in the segment. The same report identifies 131 companies and 207 operating sites, but does not publish a transaction count or aggregate deal value.[17]
Regulation
Regulatory and permitting constraints are material because local zoning, land-development priorities and environmental restrictions can push new pits away from population centers. Texas began taxing frac sand as a processed material on July 1, 2025, while crystalline-silica health and safety rules remained a major industry concern.[17]
Latest news
UNEP reported on May 12, 2026 that sand use is about 50 billion tonnes annually and that demand for buildings could rise by up to 45% by 2060. The report also found that about half of dredging companies operate within Marine Protected Areas, representing 15% of dredged volume.[45]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Sand Industry

The leading companies in the sand industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

CRH leads Gitnux's 2026 sand ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with 380.7 million tons of aggregates sold in 2025, including sand and gravel. Martin Marietta is the runner-up at 9.2, with aggregates supplied through approximately 400 quarries, mines and distribution yards.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in construction aggregates

    CRH

    IE

    Ranked #1 · 9.4 · Construction aggregates

    Why we picked it: Scale in construction aggregates links sand volumes to infrastructure demand, backed by 2025 tonnage and margins.

    See in ranking ↓Visit crh.com ↗

  2. #2 overall

    Martin Marietta

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.2 · Construction aggregates

    Why we picked it: A dense operating footprint supports sand and gravel throughput across North America construction routes.

    See in ranking ↓Visit martinmarietta.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    Heidelberg Materials

    DE

    Ranked #3 · 9.0 · Construction aggregates

    Why we picked it: Global sand and gravel output is integrated inside a broader aggregates and hard-rock footprint.

    See in ranking ↓Visit heidelbergmaterials.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the sand industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

CRH

Construction aggregates · IE

9.4
2

Martin Marietta

Construction aggregates · US

9.2
3

Heidelberg Materials

Construction aggregates · DE

9.0
4

Holcim

Construction aggregates · CH

8.9
5

Amrize

Construction aggregates · US

8.2
6

Summit Materials

Construction aggregates, sand and gravel, United States · US

8.2
7

Knife River

Construction aggregates, sand and gravel, United States · US

8.2
8

Atlas Energy Solutions

Frac-sand logistics · US

7.9
9

Badger Mining Corporation

Industrial frac-sand · US

7.5
10

Smart Sand

Industrial frac-sand · US

7.2

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the sand industry. In Sand Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sand-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Industrial sand and gravel mine production

China leads with 92,000 thousand metric tons.

China92,000 thousand metric tons
Netherlands68,000 thousand metric tons
Turkey14,000 thousand metric tons
France13,000 thousand metric tons
Italy13,000 thousand metric tons
India12,000 thousand metric tons
source-verifiedpubs.usgs.gov

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Automation and AI appear as measured process changes, including 10% higher quarry productivity after four years of digitalization and AI-related pilot work.

AI in the sand industry

  • 10% higher productivity and efficiency was reported at Holcim’s Pioltello San Bovio sand-and-gravel quarry after four years of digitalization and AI-related pilot work.[1]
  • 0.022 seconds was the sand-type identification time recorded by an edge-computing deep-learning system in a simulated sand factory in China in 2022.[2]
  • 1 sand-and-gravel quarry pilot near Milan used artificial intelligence for stockpile measurement as part of the DigiEcoQuarry project in 2022.[1]
  • 98% or more was the sand-type identification accuracy achieved by a deep-learning system in a simulated sand factory in China in 2022.[2]

Automation in the sand industry

  • 1 sand-factory simulation platform was built to test automated supply-chain management using edge computing, IoT and deep learning in 2022.[2]
  • 400,000 tonnes per year was the operating capacity of Holcim’s Pioltello San Bovio sand-and-gravel quarry, one of the DigiEcoQuarry pilot sites.[1]
  • 2% less freshwater use was reported at Holcim’s Pioltello San Bovio sand-and-gravel quarry after the four-year DigiEcoQuarry project.[1]
  • 80–90 machine sensors were planned for Holcim’s Pioltello San Bovio sand-and-gravel quarry to extend existing automation in crushing, screening and washing operations.[1]
  • 5 automated functions were included in a proposed smart sand-factory system: vehicle identification, sand-type identification, weighing, fee deduction and cloud management.[2]

Digital Transformation in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • U.S. mining firms recorded a 70.90% digitalization rate in the latest federal business-technology survey.[3]
  • Mining and metals executives ranked process intelligence, data mining and robotic-process automation as a digital priority for 56% of respondents in 2024.[4]
  • Across metals companies surveyed globally, 44% had a digital-transformation strategy and were actively taking steps forward in 2025.[5]
  • Across metals companies surveyed globally, 28% were developing a digital-transformation strategy in 2025.[5]
  • Across metals companies surveyed globally, 20% did not have a digital-transformation road map in 2025.[5]

Technology Adoption in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global mining and metals companies, 21% identified technologies that enhance recovery from recycled materials as a leading supply-enabling technology in 2023.[6]
  • Among global mining and metals companies, 48% said artificial intelligence would have the greatest impact on increasing metal supplies over the next five years in 2023.[6]
  • Among global mining and metals companies, 31% identified 5G networks as one of the two technologies most likely to increase metal supplies over the next five years in 2023.[6]
  • Nevada mining association members reported 40.4% adoption of cloud computing, 35.3% adoption of encryption and cybersecurity, and 33.8% adoption of IoT and connected devices in 2021.[7]
  • Among global mining and metals companies, 17% identified autonomous steel production, such as autonomous vehicles, among the two technologies with the greatest expected supply impact in 2023.[6]

Cloud Computing in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • U.S. mining businesses reported a 37.05% cloud-computing adoption rate in the federal business-technology survey.[3]
  • Global mining executives expected high-power computing and cloud to affect their businesses within five to ten years for 92.2% of respondents.[8]
  • Global mining executives said high-power computing and cloud would affect their businesses within one year for 52.6% of respondents in the Mining Journal survey.[8]
  • Mining executives identified cloud adoption as a digital priority for 12% of respondents planning investments over the next one to two years in 2024.[4]

Big Data in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Mining executives said big data and predictive analytics could affect their businesses within one year for 40.5% of respondents in the Mining Journal survey.[8]
  • Chilean mining companies reported that 9.02% performed big-data analysis in the sectoral Industry 4.0 study.[9]
  • Global mining and metals companies ranked data analytics among the two technologies most likely to increase metal supplies, with 42% selecting it in 2023.[6]
  • Mining executives expected big data and predictive analytics to affect their businesses within five to ten years for 95.7% of respondents.[8]
  • Chilean mining companies reported that 7.52% analyzed large volumes of data from sensors or smart devices in the sectoral Industry 4.0 study.[9]

IoT in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Mining respondents reported that 83% had or were developing an IoT strategy in the 2024 Viasat survey.[10]
  • Global mining and metals companies identified IoT among the two technologies most likely to increase metal supplies, with 18% selecting it in 2023.[6]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Operational data shows quantified logistics and planning impacts, including 90% forecast accuracy at 45 days before a frac job and 90% decrease in delivery downtime.

Business intelligence in the sand industry

  • 90% savings in data processing were reported by CEMEX after using a centralized platform for topographic data and AI-supported analysis in its aggregates operations; year not stated.[11]
  • 15% productivity improvement was reported by CEMEX after adopting connected-quarry technologies using telematics and centralized operational data; year not stated.[11]
  • 75% reduction in survey costs was reported by CEMEX after centralizing topographic and machine data for its connected-quarry model, with results reported for the company’s aggregates operations; year not stated.[11]
  • 35% fewer trucks were required after a proppant-logistics company introduced containerized sand delivery and big-data software, according to a before-and-after analysis; 2018.[12]

Data analytics in the sand industry

  • 33% less time was required to deliver a proppant load after Liberty Energy used real-time inventory, dispatch and route data; year not stated.[13]
  • 90% forecast accuracy was reported by Liberty Energy at 45 days before a frac job using historical and actual customer data for sand-supply planning; 2021.[13]
  • 20% more loads per day were delivered by individual drivers after Liberty Energy applied real-time operational data to frac-sand logistics; year not stated.[13]
  • 35% decrease in drivers needed per job was reported by Liberty Energy after using real-time sand logistics data to optimize truck allocation and routes; year not stated.[13]
  • 90% decrease in proppant-delivery downtime was reported after Liberty Energy deployed real-time inventory and operations data through its Sentinel logistics platform in U.S. frac-sand operations; year not stated.[13]
  • 8.5 times lower variability in well-site delivery time was recorded after a proppant-logistics company implemented real-time analytics and container tracking; 2018.[12]

Data Quality in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 30% rated unmanaged historical data as a significant data-management challenge in 2023.[14]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 36% identified knowing they had the most current and best-quality data as their biggest collaboration challenge in 2023.[14]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 50% expressed high confidence in their organisation’s ability to manage data quality in 2023.[14]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 30% identified real-time access to datasets in a usable format as their biggest collaboration challenge in 2023.[14]
  • Across mining respondents globally, 33% said they lacked the necessary information to make data-driven decisions in 2023.[14]

Data Governance in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 29% said a single source of truth was the most important expected outcome from resolving data-management issues in 2023.[15]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 14% said reporting tools showing who accessed or edited data were their biggest collaboration challenge in 2023.[14]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 45% reported having an established data chain of custody in 2023.[14]
  • Across geoprofessionals without an established framework globally, 56% planned to obtain one within three years in 2023.[14]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 30% reported having an established data-management framework in 2023.[14]

KPIs in the sand industry

  • 7.54% annual improvement in tons per underground man-hour was projected after deploying production analytics and equipment-tracking technology at a mine; year not stated.[16]
  • 6.57% improvement in tons per underground man-hour was recorded during the first eight months after production analytics and asset tracking were installed at a mine; year not stated.[16]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Company-level production economics and capacity expansion sit alongside trade signals, including a 16% increase in U.S. industrial sand and gravel exports from 2023 to 2024.

Growth in the sand industry

  • 16% was the increase in U.S. industrial sand and gravel exports from 2023 to 2024.[17]
  • 5% was the decrease in U.S. apparent industrial sand and gravel consumption from 2023 to 2024.[17]
  • 133 companies operated 216 industrial sand and gravel operations across 33 U.S. states in 2024.[17]
  • 6,200 workers were employed in U.S. industrial sand and gravel quarries and mills in 2024.[17]
  • 78% of U.S. industrial sand and gravel sales and use came from Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois and Oklahoma in 2024.[17]
  • 120 million tons was estimated U.S. apparent consumption of industrial sand and gravel in 2024.[17]

Differentiation in the sand industry

  • $1.70 per ton was the estimated royalty paid on certain Smart Sand silica-sand grades in 2025.[18]
  • $26.28 per ton was Smart Sand's average selling price in 2025, compared with $30.60 per ton in 2024.[18]
  • 7.3 million tons of silica sand were produced at Smart Sand's mines in 2025.[18]
  • 462 million tons were Smart Sand's total saleable silica-sand reserves at December 31, 2025.[18]
  • 125 million tons were the Ottawa mine's total saleable silica-sand reserves at December 31, 2025.[18]
  • 109 million tons were the Blair mine's total saleable silica-sand reserves at December 31, 2025.[18]

Mergers and acquisitions in the sand industry

  • 2 million tons was the annual sand-production capacity of the Wisconsin assets acquired by AMI Silica in 2022.[19]
  • $36.5 million was Smart Sand's reported acquisition value for Producers Service Holdings in January 2023.[18]
  • 2 million tons was Konya Silica's planned annual capacity after acquiring Southern Ohio Sands and Beaver Pike Enterprises by mid-2025.[20]
  • $405.7 million was Smart Sand's reported acquisition value for FTSI in March 2022.[18]
  • $164.6 million was Smart Sand's reported acquisition value for Monarch Silica in December 2022.[18]
  • $145.2 million was Smart Sand's reported acquisition value for REV in December 2022.[18]

Strategic partnerships in the sand industry

  • 73.2% was Diatreme Resources' ownership interest in Cape Silica Holdings at December 31, 2024.[21]
  • A$13.97 million was Sibelco's strategic placement in Diatreme Resources associated with the silica-sand partnership.[22]
  • A$11 million was Sibelco's first-tranche investment for a 9.99% stake in Cape Silica Holdings.[22]
  • 15% was Sibelco's equity stake in Diatreme Resources after the strategic placement.[22]
  • 1 collaboration agreement between Sibelco and CelSian covered shared laboratory functions and joint research for glass-industry customers.[22]
  • 50% was Sibelco's ownership interest in Dansand A/S, a Danish silica-sand joint venture, in 2024.[23]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce patterns stay tied to operational roles, with 2.4% of U.S. construction and extraction workers working remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024.

Employee retention in the sand industry

  • 7.4 years was the average time sand-and-gravel mine employees had held their current job title in the United States in 2012.[24]
  • 10.3 years was the average length of time sand-and-gravel mine employees had worked in mining in the United States in 2012.[24]
  • 46.1 hours was the average number of hours worked per week by sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States in 2012.[24]
  • 7.4 years was the average tenure of sand-and-gravel mine employees at their current mine in the United States in 2012.[24]

Remote Work in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across Chilean mining and supplier companies, 55.6% of mining companies reported applying remote work during the pandemic, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]
  • Across Chilean mining and supplier companies, remote work covered 8.9% of extraction workers, 10.5% of processing workers, and 9.8% of maintenance workers, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]
  • In the U.S. mining industry, about 16% of workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]
  • Across Chilean mining and supplier companies, 57.1% expected to maintain remote work in some positions after the pandemic, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]
  • 100% of surveyed large-scale mining companies in Chile adopted virtual work in administration and support areas during the COVID-19 period, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]

Hybrid Work in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 2.4% of U.S. construction and extraction workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]
  • 16% of U.S. mining workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]
  • 3.4% of U.S. farming, fishing and forestry workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]
  • 76% of mining, quarrying, and oil-and-gas workers surveyed globally considered hybrid or remote work in an international relocation destination appealing in 2025.[27]

Upskilling in the sand industry

  • 59.9% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States had completed high school in 2012.[24]
  • 29.5% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States worked in administration or professional occupations in 2012.[24]
  • 37.5% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States worked in production occupations in 2012.[24]
  • 8.3% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States worked in maintenance occupations in 2012.[24]
  • 20.7% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States had education beyond high school in 2012.[24]

Employee Engagement in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, 67% of employees were engaged in a Culture Amp benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[28]
  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, 27% of employees disagreed that the company acted when someone was not delivering in their role in a benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[28]
  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, 23% of employees were considering or actively seeking another job in a benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[28]
  • At Mineral Resources Limited, 70% employee engagement was recorded in the FY2024 annual survey, three percentage points above the reported industry average of 67%.[29]
  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, the median employee net promoter score was 4 in a Culture Amp benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[28]

DEI in the sand industry

  • 4.0% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States were Black or African American in 2012.[24]
  • 92.1% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States were male in 2012.[24]
  • 18.0% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States identified as Hispanic or Latino in 2012.[24]
  • 44.0 years was the average age of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States in 2012.[24]
  • 53.0% of sand-and-gravel mine employees in the United States worked at a surface strip mine, open-pit mine or quarry in 2012.[24]

Change Management in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 16% of respondents at the EY Americas Metals and Mining Forum 2025 identified digital insights and automation as the most critical capability enabling transformation.[4]
  • 48% of respondents at the EY Americas Metals and Mining Forum 2025 identified agile leadership and strategic alignment as the most critical capability enabling transformation.[4]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Contracting and customer concentration shape sand supply security, including Smart Sand’s 15 to 72 months remaining terms on long-term raw frac-sand supply agreements as of January 1, 2019.

Customer experience in the sand industry

  • 1 customer accounted for revenue in both Smart Sand’s Sand and SmartSystems segments in the United States in 2024.[18]
  • 3 SmartSystems components—SmartDepot silos, SmartPath systems and SmartBelt conveyors—can be adjusted in customer contracts to meet short- and long-term needs in the United States in 2025.[18]
  • 4 primary frac-sand sizes are offered by Smart Sand for customer applications, while its industrial-products business can provide custom blends and additional sizes in the United States in 2024.[18]

Customer retention in the sand industry

  • 15 to 72 months was the remaining term range for Smart Sand’s long-term raw frac-sand supply agreements in the United States as of January 1, 2019.[18]
  • $247.2 million was allocated to unsatisfied customer performance obligations in the frac-sand business at December 31, 2023.[18]
  • $145.7 million of Atlas Energy Solutions’ unsatisfied customer obligations was expected to be recognized as revenue in 2024 under existing contracts.[18]
  • 87% of HCR Resources’ revenue came from frac-sand customers with long-term contracts in the United States in 2018.[18]

Customer acquisition in the sand industry

  • 82 customers generated the portion of Smart Sand’s 2024 revenue not attributable to EQT Corporation, Encino Energy and Liberty Oilfield Services in the United States.[18]
  • $188,250 in sales was reported by North America Frac Sand, Inc. for 2024, compared with $137,305 in 2023.[18]
  • 99 customers generated the portion of Smart Sand’s 2025 revenue not attributable to EQT Corporation and EOG Resources in the United States.[18]
  • 1 new industrial-products business created in late 2021 enabled Smart Sand to diversify its customer base beyond frac-sand markets in the United States.[18]

Customer loyalty in the sand industry

  • 31.9% of Smart Sand’s total revenue came from EQT Corporation in the United States in 2024.[18]
  • 10.2% of Smart Sand’s total revenue came from Liberty Oilfield Services in the United States in 2024.[18]
  • 10.9% of Smart Sand’s total revenue came from EOG Resources in the United States in 2025.[18]
  • 27.7% of Smart Sand’s total revenue came from EQT Corporation in the United States in 2025.[18]
  • 13.8% of Smart Sand’s total revenue came from Encino Energy in the United States in 2024.[18]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Brand signals are visible through small but trackable audiences, such as 906 LinkedIn followers for Lonquist Frac Sand Services when its page was crawled in 2026.

Social media in the sand industry

  • 906 LinkedIn followers were shown for Lonquist Frac Sand Services in Austin, Texas, when the company page was crawled in 2026.[30]
  • 1,290 LinkedIn followers were shown for Wallstreet Sand Co. in Kermit, Texas, when the company page was crawled in 2026.[30]
  • 114 LinkedIn followers were shown for Epic Ceramic Proppants in Houston, Texas, when the company page was crawled in 2026.[30]
  • 240 LinkedIn followers were shown for the FRAC SAND industry conference showcase when the page was crawled in 2026.[30]
  • 866 LinkedIn followers were shown for Erna Frac Sand in Mason, Texas, when the company page was crawled in 2026.[30]

Influencer Marketing in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • In 2026, Cory Rockwell’s underground-mining TikTok content had accumulated 5 million likes, providing a sector-specific audience benchmark for employee and operator advocacy.[31]
  • In 2026, Cory Rockwell’s most-watched underground-mining video reached 6.9 million views, demonstrating the potential scale of employee-led influencer content in mining.[31]
  • In 2026, underground mining influencer Cory Rockwell had 117,100 TikTok followers, using videos about explosives, haul trucking, bolting and underground work.[31]
  • In 2026, Colombian mining and metallurgy student Paula Mineria had 110,600 TikTok followers, illustrating the reach of mining-focused influencer content.[31]
  • In 2026, Paula Mineria’s mining-related TikTok content had generated 1.6 million likes across audiences in Colombia, Japan, Chile, Panama, Canada and the United States.[31]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Throughput and utilization show up in output-linked figures, including 870 million tons of construction sand and gravel produced in the United States in 2025.

Process optimization in the sand industry

  • 77% of U.S. industrial sand and gravel production came from Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Louisiana in 2025.[17]
  • 1.6 million tons of annual processing capacity were available at Smart Sand’s Ottawa facility in Illinois in 2023.[18]
  • 81% of U.S. industrial sand and gravel tonnage was used for hydraulic-fracturing, well-packing and cementing sand in 2025.[17]
  • 1.6 million tons of annual processing capacity were available at Smart Sand’s Blair mine in Wisconsin in 2023.[18]
  • 120 million tons of industrial sand and gravel were sold or used in the United States in 2025, reflecting processing output after operations were optimized or idled in response to oversupply.[17]

Operational efficiency in the sand industry

  • 41,900 mine-and-mill employees worked in U.S. construction sand and gravel operations in 2025.[17]
  • $4.5 billion was the value of U.S. industrial sand and gravel sold or used in 2025.[17]
  • 870 million tons of construction sand and gravel were produced in the United States in 2025.[17]
  • 54% of U.S. construction sand and gravel output came from the 10 leading producing states in 2025.[17]
  • $14.50 per metric ton was the estimated average unit value of U.S. construction sand and gravel in 2025.[17]

Quality management in the sand industry

  • 0.6% iron oxide is the maximum threshold specified for the U.S. high-silica industrial-sand tariff category.[17]
  • 4% of U.S. industrial sand and gravel tonnage was classified as other unspecified uses in 2025.[17]
  • 95% silica content is the minimum classification threshold for the U.S. tariff category covering high-silica industrial sand.[17]
  • 7% of U.S. industrial sand and gravel tonnage was supplied to glassmaking in 2025, an application requiring controlled silica quality.[17]
  • 7% of U.S. industrial sand and gravel tonnage went to fillers, foundry sand, filtration sand and recreational sand in 2025.[17]

Supply chain in the sand industry

  • 3.6 million tons of combined annual processing capacity was represented by Smart Sand’s Ottawa and Blair facilities in 2023.[18]
  • 90% of U.S. construction sand and gravel imports during 2021–2024 came from Canada.[17]
  • 210,000 tons of industrial sand and gravel were imported into the United States for consumption in 2025.[17]
  • $400 million was invested in the Dune Express conveyor project to move frac sand from Texas production areas toward customers.[32]
  • 42 miles was the length of Atlas Energy Solutions’ Dune Express conveyor built to transport frac sand in Texas.[32]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 75.0% was the average outsourcing rate among Chile’s large-scale mining companies in 2019.[33]
  • 30% of mining and metals companies rated outsourcing more functions and capabilities to third-party specialists a top or significant cybersecurity talent priority in 2023.[34]
  • 13.5% was the average outsourcing rate among Chile’s small-scale mining companies in 2019.[33]
  • 54.0% was the average outsourcing rate among Chile’s medium-sized mining companies in 2019.[33]
  • Contractors represented 54% of Queensland’s mining-industry workforce in fiscal year 2022–2023.[35]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Price movements differ by segment, with U.S. construction sand and gravel averaging $14.50 per metric ton in 2025 versus industrial sand averaging $36 per metric ton.

Pricing strategy in the sand industry

  • $45.40 per metric ton was the estimated average value of U.S. industrial sand and gravel in 2022.[17]
  • $40.80 per metric ton was the estimated average value of U.S. industrial sand and gravel in 2021.[17]
  • $26.28 per ton was Smart Sand’s forecast average mine-gate selling price for 2025.[18]
  • $39 per metric ton was the estimated average value of U.S. industrial sand and gravel in 2024.[17]
  • $29.50 per metric ton was the estimated average value of U.S. industrial sand and gravel in 2020.[17]

Cost reduction in the sand industry

  • $38.7 million was Smart Sand’s selling, general and administrative expense in 2023.[18]
  • $2.6 million was Smart Sand’s depreciation and amortization expense in 2024.[18]
  • $7.7 million was Smart Sand’s SmartSystems cost of goods sold in 2024.[18]
  • $1.8 million was Smart Sand’s net loss on disposal of fixed assets in 2023.[18]
  • $2.5 million was Smart Sand’s depreciation and amortization expense in 2023.[18]

Profitability in the sand industry

  • $4.6 million was Smart Sand’s net income in 2023.[18]
  • $3.0 million was Smart Sand’s net income in 2024.[18]
  • $3.0 million was Smart Sand’s operating income in 2024.[18]
  • $44.8 million was Smart Sand’s gross profit in 2024.[18]
  • 43.6% was Atlas Energy Solutions’ gross margin in 2024.[18]

Financial planning in the sand industry

  • 2.067 million tons was Smart Sand’s forecast Blair sales volume for 2027.[18]
  • $3.93 million was Smart Sand’s projected annual sustaining capital expenditure for the Blair operation beginning in 2028.[18]
  • $26.28 per ton was the projected 2023 unit cost per sales ton for Smart Sand’s Blair operation.[18]
  • 83.608 million tons was Smart Sand’s forecast Blair sales volume for 2036 through 2066.[18]
  • $20 per ton was Smart Sand’s assumed silica product price in its Ottawa mineral-reserve estimate.[18]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Sand performance targets and processing yield are quantified, including 99.999% silica purity in a 2024 one-step laser-pulse purification process.

Product development in the sand industry

  • 99.999% silica purity was achieved from raw sand in a 2024 one-step laser-pulse purification process developed by UC Davis and Homerun Resources in Brazil.[36]
  • 99.5% minimum silicon-dioxide content was reported for the photovoltaic sand produced by the Tongliao purification project in Inner Mongolia in 2024.[30]
  • 0.01% maximum iron-oxide content was reported for the Tongliao photovoltaic-sand product developed from desert sand in China in 2024.[30]
  • 3 product grades were generated by the Fife Silica Sands washing plant’s prograde screen: plus-7mm, 3–7mm and 0–3mm.[37]
  • 5 processing stages were identified for the Tongliao photovoltaic-sand line: physical separation, flotation, purification and associated process sections.[30]

Product lifecycle in the sand industry

  • 9–13 million tons of foundry sand were generated annually in the United States according to EPA industry estimates.[38]
  • 80% of spent foundry sand was repurposed annually through Wisconsin Foundry Industries’ beneficial-reuse efforts in 2020.[39]
  • 10% of foundry sand was estimated to be beneficially reused outside foundries in the United States when the EPA toolkit was published.[38]
  • 25% of spent foundry sand was reported as recycled in Europe, primarily for cement applications, in a 2025 review.[9]
  • 28.18% of U.S. spent foundry sand was reused during the 2004–2006 period covered by the American Foundry Society survey.[40]

After-sales in the sand industry

  • 25% was the maximum discount on regular professional rates offered to Simpson Group Performance Partner customers.[41]
  • 271 foundries were serviced by HA-International’s field technical-services team in 2024.[42]
  • 16 training classes were delivered by HA-International’s foundry technical-services department in 2024.[42]
  • 5 customers or more could share travel expenses on Simpson Group service trips under its Performance Partner program.[41]
  • 8 hours was the minimum time billed for certain Simpson Group non-partner service visits.[41]

Value proposition in the sand industry

  • 50 billion tonnes of sand and silicates were estimated to be consumed globally each year by the OECD.[43]
  • 78% of U.S. industrial sand sales and use came from Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois and Oklahoma in 2024.[17]
  • 133 companies operated 216 industrial-sand production operations across 33 U.S. states in 2024.[17]
  • $39 per metric ton was the estimated average U.S. industrial-sand value in 2024.[17]
  • 6,200 people were employed in U.S. industrial-sand quarry and milling operations in 2024.[17]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Resource pressure shows in both usage totals and ecosystem risk signals, including Marine Sand Watch figures of 6 billion tonnes of marine sand and other sediment extracted annually.

Sustainability in the sand industry

  • 60% of global dredging vessels are monitored by UNEP’s Marine Sand Watch platform, according to a 2025 UN report.[44]
  • 6 billion tonnes of marine sand and other sediment are extracted annually, according to UNEP’s Marine Sand Watch.[45]
  • 75% of Holcim sites in water-risk areas are targeted to become water-positive by 2030.[46]
  • 50 billion tonnes of sand are used annually worldwide, according to UNEP’s 2026 assessment.[45]
  • 40–50 billion tonnes of sand and gravel were extracted globally each year, according to UNEP’s 2019 estimate.[45]

ESG in the sand industry

  • 28.2 million tonnes of reused or recycled materials were reported across Heidelberg Materials in 2024.[47]
  • 8.9% of Heidelberg Materials’ cement-business raw-material and fuel inputs were secondary reused or recycled components in 2024.[47]
  • 1.7% of Heidelberg Materials’ aggregate production consisted of recycled aggregates in 2024.[47]
  • 12.5% was Heidelberg Materials’ recycled-material share in asphalt during 2024.[47]
  • 4.7 million tonnes of recycled aggregates were produced by Heidelberg Materials in 2024.[47]

Circular economy in the sand industry

  • 11.4 gigatonnes is the projected shortfall between end-of-life aggregate outflows and aggregate demand by 2060.[48]
  • 5% of CEMEX-generated waste was sent to landfill in 2019.[49]
  • 13 million tonnes of alternative raw materials from other industries were used by CEMEX in 2019.[49]
  • 100% recycled content is possible in Holcim’s AGGNEO recycled-aggregate brand.[46]
  • More than 50% recycled content is used in some Holcim products.[46]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Trade and capacity access matter, including the United States importing 300,000 tons of industrial sand and gravel in 2024.

Globalization in the sand industry

  • 9% was Cambodia’s share of recorded natural-sand exports in 2024.[56]
  • 300,000 tons of industrial sand and gravel were imported by the United States in 2024.[17]
  • 42% was the increase in U.S. industrial-sand imports from 2023 to 2024.[17]
  • 45% was the increase in world natural-sand trade value from 2017 to 2024.[57]
  • 18% was the United States share of recorded natural-sand exports in 2024.[56]

Supplier management in the sand industry

  • 5 in-basin transloading facilities were directly controlled by Smart Sand in 2024, with access to third-party terminals in all operating basins.[18]
  • 1.6 million tons was the annual processing capacity of Smart Sand’s Ottawa, Illinois mine and processing facility in 2024.[18]
  • 5.5 million tons was the annual processing capacity of Smart Sand’s Oakdale, Wisconsin facility in 2024.[18]
  • More than 85% of Holcim’s total sand volume came from responsibly managed company sources, recycled sand and manufactured sand in the reported period.[46]
  • 2.9 million tons was the annual processing capacity of Smart Sand’s Blair, Wisconsin facility acquired in 2022.[18]

Stakeholder management in the sand industry

  • 50 U.S. states had construction-sand and gravel production in 2024.[17]
  • 3,400 companies operated U.S. construction-sand and gravel businesses in 2024.[17]
  • More than 200 sales or distribution yards served the U.S. construction-sand and gravel industry in 2024.[17]
  • 53% of U.S. construction-sand and gravel output came from the ten leading producing states in 2024.[17]
  • 6,500 pits were operated by U.S. construction-sand and gravel companies in 2024.[17]

Distribution channels in the sand industry

  • 2 unit-train-capable Ohio transloading terminals became operational for Smart Sand in 2024.[18]
  • 42% of U.S. construction sand and gravel was used in portland-cement concrete aggregates in 2024.[17]
  • 1.1 million tons was Smart Sand’s initial annual processing capacity at Oakdale, Wisconsin when operations began in 2012.[18]
  • 75% of the value of the 15 largest natural-sand trade flows was represented by intra-regional links in 2024.[56]
  • 20% of U.S. construction sand and gravel was used for road bases and coverings in 2024.[17]

Key questions about the sand industry

What is the annual global sand market size?
About 50 billion tonnes of sand are used globally each year, with UNEP reporting the figure in its 2026 assessment.
How big is the U.S. sand market in construction terms?
U.S. construction sand and gravel production reached 870 million tons in 2025. The U.S. construction value was $12.6B in 2025.
Which companies lead the sand industry?
CRH leads Gitnux's 2026 sand ranking with an Overall score of 9.4, with 380.7 million tons of aggregates sold in 2025, including sand and gravel. Martin Marietta is the runner-up at 9.2, with aggregates supplied through approximately 400 quarries, mines and distribution yards.
What technology shifts show up most clearly in sand operations?
Connected-quarry and real-time logistics data show measurable impacts, including 90% savings in data processing reported by CEMEX and Liberty Energy’s 90% decrease in proppant-delivery downtime after deploying real-time inventory and operations data.
How fragmented is the sand industry in terms of operators and sites?
In the U.S. construction sand segment, an estimated 3,400 companies operated 6,500 pits and more than 200 sales or distribution yards in 2025.
What is pressuring sand prices in industrial frac-sand?
Industrial sand averaged $36 per metric ton in 2025, down from $40.90 in 2024 as frac-sand oversupply pressured prices.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Sand Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sand-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Sand Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/sand-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Sand Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sand-industry-statistics.

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